Combination incinerator and wet scrubber arrangement



Jan. 7, 1969 P. w. KALIKA 3,420,195

COMBINATION INCINERATOR AND WET SCRUBBER ARRANGEMENT Filed Aug. 24, 1967 INVENTOR. PE 752 PV- KALIKA A TTOENE) United States Patent 3,420,195 COMBINATION INCINERATOR AND WET SCRUBBER ARRANGEMENT Peter W. Kalika, Simsbury, Conn., assignor to Combustion Engineering, Inc., Windsor, Conn., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 24, 1967, Ser. No. 662,972

US. Cl. 1107 Int. Cl. F23 11/00 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A combined incinerator and wet scrubber, wherein the hot, dust-laden gases from the incinerator are scrubbed and cleaned, and then flow through the space enclosed by a double wall arrangement of the incinerator to raise the temperature of the saturated gases.

Background of the invention Summary of the invention The combination incinerator and wet scrubber of the invention incorporates an incinerator having an inner refractory lined wall exposed to the combustion process, and a spaced, outer second wall. The cleaned, moisture-laden gases exhausting from the Wet scrubber are passed through the space between the double incinerator Walls before being discharged to the atmosphere. This serves the two-fold purpose of cooling the refractory lined wall and also raising the temperature of the saturated gases, thereby reduc ing the likelihood of a visible steam plume.

Brief description of the drawing The figure is a sectional side view of an incinerator and Wet scrubber arrangement constructed in accordance with my invention.

Description of the preferred embodiment Looking now to the figure, is an incinerator for burning refuse introduced into the furnace through opening 12. Air to support combustion of the refuse on grate 14 is supplied by fan 17 and duct 19. Ash is discharged from the rear of the grate into ashpit 15. The hot gases, laden with ash particles, flow upwardly in the furnace, around arch 16, and exit through the furnace outlet 18 into duct 22. The gases then flow through wet scrubber 20, where they are subjected to a series of scrubbing sprays.

The ash is entrained by the water droplets, and thus separated from the gas stream and deposited in the scrubber sump. The cleaned, cool, saturated gases leave the wet scrubber by means of duct 24, and enter plenum duct or manifold 26, which encircles the upper portion of the furnace.

The upper portion of the incinerator is of double-Wall construction, there being an inner refractory lined wall Patented Jan. 7, 1969 28, and an outer metal casing 30. Duct 26 feeds the cleaned, cool, saturated gases into the space 31 around the entire periphery of the incinerator. The gases are then exhausted to the atmosphere through upper outlet 32. In passing the gases through space 31 a two-fold advantage is gained. Firstly, the gases absorb heat from the refractory walls 28, preventing them from becoming overheated, which could cause spalling or cracking. Secondly, the temperature of the gas is raised. This makes them more buoyant, and because the moisture in the gases then represents a lower percentage of saturation, there is less likelihood that a visible steam plume will be seen in the gases exiting from outlet 32.

As shown in the figure, the gases coming from the wet scrubber only pass through the double-walled construction in the upper portion of the furnace. Air from the forced draft fan 17 is used to cool the walls of the lower portion of the furnace. It should be understood that the gases from the wet scrubber could be used to cool the entire furnace wall in some installations. The extent of wall cooled in any given installation must be determined in accordance with the temperatures involved and the quantity of scrubbed combustion gases available.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the invention should not be limited thereto.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, a furnace for burning fuel therein, having spaced, double walls, said furnace having an outlet through which the hot, dirty combustion gases leave the furnace, scrubber means having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet of which is connected to the furnace outlet, said scrubber means including water sprays for reducing the temperature of the gases, and removing impurities therefrom, the outlet of the scrubber means being connected to the space between the double walls of the furnace, so that the relatively cool, moisture-laden gases in passing through this space remove heat from the inner furnace wall, raising the temperature of the gases and the moisture contained therein, thereby reducing the possibility of a steam plume in the gases flowing from the space between the double walls.

2. In combination, a furnace for burning fuel therein, having an inner refractory lined wall, and an outer wall, there being a space between the two walls, inlet means and outlet means for said space, said furnace having an outlet through which the hot, dirty combustion gases leave the furnace, wet scrubber means having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet of which is connected to thefurnace outlet, said wet scrubber means including water spray means for removing impurities from the gases and reducing the temperature thereof, the outlet of the wet scrubber means being connected to the inlet means of said space, whereby the cleaned, cooled, saturated gases passing therethrough cool the refractory lined wall, and absorb heat therefrom, thereby reducing the possibility of a steam plume of the gases exiting from the outlet of said space.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,320,906 5/1967 Domahidy -1 JAMES W. WESTHAVER, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 1101 19 

